Folding seal-stamp.



E. GEBHARDT. FOLDING SEAL STAMP. APPLICATION FILED MAR.24, 1913.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

nnwin ennnannr, or nonwoon, GHIO.

FOLDING SEAL-8TAMP.

masses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 239, 1914.

Application filed March 24, 1913. Serial No. 756,341.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that 1, EDWIN GEBHARDT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Norwood, in the county of which operates both as a cigar cutter and as a seal, and this I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front ele vation of'my device ready for use as a cigar cutter. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device ready for use as a seal- Fig. -1 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of the stamp opened for use, with part of the cigar cutter plate cut away.

1 and 2 are the two segments of a seal,

made of suitable material, attached together by the hinge 3 and bearing on their combined surfaces a character, initial, or any desired design, to be used as a seal. On the inner side of the seal, and preferably located well away from its center, are the hinge joints a and 5, with their axes parallel to the axis of the hinge 3, which connect to the segments of the seal the plates 6 and 7. These plates are of restricted lengthsuitable for the purpose desired, but necessarily long enough to accommodate the parts of the cigar cutter as hereinafter described. They are joined together at their far ends by the hinge joint 8 parallel to the joints 3, 4: and 5, and the pintle 9 of this joint carries a ring or how 10. j The construction above detailed 18 that of my seal alone. Its method of operation is clear. To fold up theseal into the position shown in Fig. 2, the operator flexes the four hinged joints 3, 4c, 5 and 8, which are parallel to each other. To open it into the position shown in Fig. 3, he merely reflexes the said hinges.

The cigar cutter is formed entirely in the side plate 6, the plate 7 merely being provided with an aperture 11, in order not to interfere with the operation of the cutter when the device is in closed position.

On and parallel to plate 6, is suitably secured an additional plate 12. Near the top of these plates is located an aperture 13 for the introduction of a cigar to be cut- Rotatably mounted on a pin 1%, between the two plates 6 and 12, is the arm 15 which carries the cutter knife 16. On the back of the arm 15 is a thumb plate 17 Mounted on the pin 18, located above the cigar hole, 15 a spring 19, which bears against the slightly rounded surface 20 on the end of the cutter arm. This spring serves to force the cutter arm to swing away from the plates 6 and 12 as soon as the arm is released, and a means of holding the cutter and its arm inside of the two plates is provided as follows: A small plate 21 is mounted between the plates 6 and 12,just below the cigar hole, having a blunt tooth 22. A

spring 23 bears against the base of the plate and tends to force the plate and tooth upward. The cutter blade has a notch 24: on its lower edge to receive the tooth 22 when the cutter is in closed position. To release the cutter, it is necessary to push down the plate 21, and for doing this 1 supply the pin 25 attached to the plate and guided by a slot (not shown) in the plate 6. Upon depressing the pin 25 and releasing the knife, the spring 19 throws open the cutter. A cigar tip may then be inserted in the hole 13, and with the-free hand the operator can push in the cutter by pressing on the thumb plate 17. it is thus that I provide a compact and efficient cigar cutter and seal.

The entire article is compact and strong and folds into a neat and attractive shape. It can be made of precious metal, or of the baser metals, and can do combined duty as a tool and a piece of jewelry. The bow 10 serves to attach it to a watch chain or key ring. Instead of the cutter shown, a knife blade may be substituted, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A new article of manufacture comprising a head of two hinged portions for a seal, and a handle portion comprising side plates adapted to be hinged to said portions with the hinges so located that the seal Will fold outwardly, with said side 2. A new article of manufacture comprising a head of two hinged portions for a seal, a handle portion comprising side plates adapted to be hinged to said portions, said side plates hinged together at their outer ends with the hinges so located that the seal will fold outwardly, and a bow carried by the pintle of the last named hinge.

3. A new article of manufacture comprising a head of two hinged portions for a seal, a handle portion comprising side plates adapted to be hinged to said portions, said 15 EDWIN GEBHARDT.

Attest: I

ROBERT P. HARGITT, HELEN L. RIoHHoLz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. V

a length suitable for mounting a 20 

